Halep, Wozniacki into Aussie final
SIMONA Halep survived a three-set thriller against Angelique Kerber yesterday to set up a winner-takes-all Australian Open final against Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday, where the No1 ranking will be on the line.
The Romanian said for a fleeting moment she thought “everything had gone” when facing two Kerber match points before battling past the former champion 6-3, 4-6, 9-7.
But the tenacious Halep stayed alive to put her No1 ranking up for grabs in the showdown against the number two seed, with both desperate to win a maiden Grand Slam title.
“Definitely was very tough. I’m shaking now,” said Halep, who saved the match points at 5-6 on Kerber’s serve in the third set. She confessed she wasn’t sure how she did it.
“I don’t remember, but I didn’t think about the score. I just took point by point. I had actually two moments when I felt that the match was over,” she said.
“I had no power anymore and everything is gone. I didn’t give up, which meant a lot, and that’s how I won the match.”
Wozniacki beat unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) after a late wobble when she was broken serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set.
“Halep, just like me, was down match points early on in the tournament,” Wozniacki said. “I think it’s ex- citing because we’re both playing for the No1 ranking.”
Saturday’s final, which could be played in forecast temperature of up to 35 Celsius, looks set to be a gruelling do-or-die clash between two players known for their tenacity and court coverage.
“I respect her a lot, and I know it’s going to be similar. I will have to run, so a very good rest after this match,” said Halep of Wozniacki. “I want to give my best . . . and not think about the title. If it’s going to come, it’s going to come.”
In a seesawing contest, Halep sprinted into a 6-3, 3-1 lead before 2016 Melbourne Park winner Kerber, seeded 21, fought back.
The Romanian finally prevailed in 2hr 20min with her fourth match point to ensure a new name will grace the trophy.
Cilic ends Edmund’s run
In the men’s draw, Marin Cilic dominated British hope Kyle Edmund in straight sets to become the first Croatian to reach the final of the Australian Open yesterday. The world No6 powered into his third Grand Slam decider with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 win in 2hr 18min on Rod Laver Arena over the unseeded Edmund to be the first man into Sunday’s final.
He will face either defending champion Roger Federer or unseeded South Korean Chung Hyeon, who play today. “Overall I’m feeling really good,” Cilic said. “Now I have two days off before the final.
“I noticed in the third game of the third set, when I broke him, he just let a couple of balls go past him.
“So I realised his movement was a little bit restricted, so I just tried to move the ball around and obviously that second break was crucial.”
It was an emphatic performance by the 2014 US Open champion, who broke Edmund’s ser ve four times and nullified the Briton’s powerful forehand.
The victory ensured that he will rise to a career-high of three when the new rankings come out on Monday.
Cilic will be only the second player outside the “Big Four” of Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Federer to reach the Melbourne final since Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008 decider.
He lost to Federer i n last year’s Wimbledon final, but beat the 19time Grand Slam champion i n the semi-finals on the way to his US Open triumph.